"America is a more unruly country than most any other,
a kind of rich, sanitary, educated Afghanistan."
--Kenneth Rexroth (from American Poetry in the Twentieth Century)
My new novel Any Day Now is not exactly science fiction; and not exactly not. It's a sort of an alternate history of 1968, and (not to brag, but) John Crowley was kind enough to say, "If you were there then, this is where you were." Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and made it a Pick of the Week. Who knows, perhaps I shall be released.
I'll be flogging it at Seattle's U of Washington bookstore April 23, and Village Books in nearby Bellingham April 24. And back in San Francisco at Borderlands on May 5.
Another new book, which I edited for PM Press: Political prisoner David Gilbert's Love and Struggle, which was several years in the making and well worth it. David's a good friend, a fine writer and a truth-teller. This is a political, historical and deeply personal account of the emergence of the New Left in America. There is no other book quite like it.
Since David is in Auburn Prison (NY) and unable to attend book events, I will be reading from, promoting and discussing the book at several events, along with some of David's activist supporters. We will be touring the Northwest
April 29 to April 3 in Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Olympia and Bellingham. Details here: Love&Strugle NW Tour.
My most recent collection of short stories TVA BABY is from PM Press. It includes a little shop story, a starship story, a noir detective story, a time travel tale (with paradox), an un-mundane adventure, a retro romantic comedy (with cigarettes and lingerie), and a plundering of pirates.
My utopian novel FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIN (also PM) is about what might have been if abolitionist John Brown's 1859 raid on Harper's Ferry had succeeded. It has a generous (and perceptive) introduction by Mumia Abu Jamal.
Rudy Rucker illustrated Billy's Picture Book. It's a book of children's stories that are not for kids. For example, here's "Billy and the Flying Saucer" (minus the illos) in two four-minute videos: one and two.
I am editing a cool SF series for PM called Outspoken Authors. Each volume includes a story, a rant, an interview and an argument by a Lefty scribbler with Something to Say. Eleanor Arnason's unforgettable (It's about memory) Mammoths of the Great Plains was shortlisted for the Sturgeon Award, the Sidewise (alt-history) Award, and the Carl Brandon Award as well. That's her in the gimme hat below, waitin' for a train.
Rudy Rucker's Surfing the Gnarl surfaced in March. And the estimable Nalo Hopkinson is in the house. I'm proud of the Outspoken Author list which looks like a science fiction Who's Who or Hall of Fame, except that I included myself. Because I could.Litquake rattled San Francisco in October. Found in the rubble was this mercifully short video of a reading of "The Cockroach Hat," my contribution to the new Kessel & Kelly theme anthology Kafkaesque from Tachyon.
My novella Planet of Mystery is up on Kindle. It's about the first expedition to Venus. Like Pride and Prejudice, it's an adventure. LIke Don Quixote, it's a love story; and like Lolita, it has a happy ending.
There's a lovely audio production of my short story "Bears Discover Fire" on
Drabblecast for those interested in such things.
My day job is writing a regular feature, THIS MONTH IN HISTORY, for Locus magazine.
I also host a monthly author reading series in downtown San Francisco called SFinSF. Join us Saturday April 21 for our Urban Fantasy show with authors Bruce McAllister and Steven Boyett.